We use any to talk about a non-specific, infinite number of things.  We usually use any with a plural noun or non-countable noun in questions or negative sentences.

• Do you have any pens?
• I don’t have any pens.
• Do you have any free time?
• I don’t have any time to talk to her.

We also use any in a positive sentence with a singular countable noun or non-countable noun to meanit doesn’t matter which one, it doesn’t matter who, and it doesn’t matter what. In a conversation, we stress the word any.

• If you ask any person in this office, they will be able to help you.
• Jack will drink any cocktail you give him. He’s a big drinker.
• I’ll go to any beach. I just need a vacation.
• I told Jane she can come here any time that is convenient for her.

We can also use any in a negative sentence with a singular countable noun to mean even one. Here too, in a conversation, we stress the word any.

• I don’t have any pen that works properly.
• I didn’t see any laptop that I wanted to buy.
• I can’t imagine any girl wanting to date Jack.
• There isn’t any person in that company who could help us.

We use wish + were when we imagine that we want a situation to be different than it is. When we wish for things like this, we are just imagining something we do not think is possible:

• I wish I were taller. I’m not tall, but want to be taller.
• I wish it wasn’t raining today. It’s raining, but I want it to not rain.
• I wish I were a better dancer. I don’t dance well at all.

Keep in mind that when we imagine something that is possible to happen, we use hope:

• I hope Jack enjoys his trip to Tokyo.
• I worked hard on this lesson. I hope it helps you!
• I hope the train is not late today.

We also use wish + had + ppVerb to talk about something we regret in the past:

• I wish I had studied accounting in college. Now, I don’t understand business accounting at all. I didn’t study accounting, and I regret it.
• I ran into my ex-girlfriend at the party. I wish I hadn’t gone to that party. I went to the party, but I regret going there.

In a similar way, we use wish + would when we want to complain about something or show we are unhappy that a situation will not happen.

• I wish you would stop smoking cigars.
• I wish the boss would let us go home early today. We worked until 9pm last night!

In a formal conversation, we can use wish + to Verb meaning want to. This kind of English is used in formal situations only.

• I wish to speak with the store manager please. I have a complaint.
• I wish to obtain a copy of my passport.

I always ask my friend  when I have a problem with my computer. He’s an expert in computers. So I gave him my laptop, and he said he would call me when it’s fixed. When you need something done, it’s a good idea to get the right help from the right person.

When we use when. Have a look at the paragraph above one more time.

We use when to talk about two situations that happen at or around the same time. If you use when in the first part of the sentence, use a comma before the second part.

• When I miss a deadline, the boss goes crazy.
• Jack said that when he left the house, it was raining hard.
• I called her when I got home.
• I send the report when the boss asked me to.

We use when with a present verb to talk about the future. Be careful! don’t put will after when.

• I will call you when my flight lands. Not, …when my flight will land.
• When you get back home, please call me.
• I am going to order another beer when the waiter comes back.
• I’ll be waiting for you when you finish work.

Today, let’s look at the adjective worth and see how we can use this in our English conversation.

We use worth + value, worth + amount to show the value of something.

• This pen is worth $5.
• The antique desk is worth $300, but I bought it for $150.
• Eating healthy and exercising is worth the effort.
• It’s worth visiting New York city.

In a negative sentence, use not worth:

• That movie was boring. It is not worth seeing.
• The Modern Museum is nice, but I think it is not worth $25. Continue reading Worth →